At the end of May I saw this bald headed cocky (photo 1) with other normal ones, high in a large Liquidamber (hence poor photo).
Today, 30 June, one cocky caught my eye because it looked so fluffy (photo 2). It was high up with about 18 others, feeding in Liquidambers & a Camphor Laurel. It appears to have a deformed beak which I originally thought must have been a twig of the tree, but zooming in it definitely appears to be its beak.
Any ideas what's happened to these birds?
Hi BigBird, Most likely Psitticine Beak & Feather Disease (Psitticine Circoviral Disease), a viral infection, not a good thing for the birds. Below is an information pamphlet. Hard to tell from your photos, but looks a strong possibility. The beak in the last looks like it needs a good trim, certainly not a healthy specimen, in my opinion.
http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/a13239ba-fb01-4c31-9fa8-519dcbc593ca/files/p-c-disease.pdf
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Hi dwatsonbb,
Thanks for your response and for referring me to the article. After reading it, it does seem that Psitticine Beak & Feather Disease is the problem.
A large flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos (well over 60 birds) has been roosting in a 2 large nearby eucalypts for around 12 years so we get lots of daily visits from them to feed in the liquidambers & steal our mandarins.
This is the first time I've noticed any deformaties but it's good to know that the disease is not a great threat to the rest of the flock.
Thanks again for the info.
This disease is spread by birds feeding at feeding tables. I know of a household where Sulphur Crested Cockatoos & Australian Mapgies suffer this horrible affliction due to their constantly being artificially fed at a feeding table.
Instead of artificially feeding birds it's more in the birds' interests to provide indigenous plants because they form part of the birds' natural diet & disperse the birds.
I agree Woko. Our 3/4 acre has a mix of indigenous & introduced plants and fortunately, we're surrounded by quite large tracts of bushland in the Lower Blue Mountains.
Parrots are the only family of birds that can get PBFD (hence the name "psittacine" beak and feather disease). Magpies, kookaburras and other birds can definitely suffer from other conditions due to artificial feeding too though. Sadly a lot of suffering and death takes place in the nest, well out of sight and mind of those feeding them.
This cocky will suffer unless caught and put to sleep at a vet humanely. Not easy to catch while they can still fly though.... after which point they're at the mercy of cats, dogs etc. Very sad.
Telltale signs of the disease here are deformed beak, no or minimal crest, black feet and black beak and dirty feathers due to lack of powder down production. Probably early stages of the disease, with worse to come for this poor bird. :(
I wonder what the Australian Magpies were suffering, Galah. It certainly seemed to have the same symptoms as the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos.
Who knows. Possibly some serious health issues and nutritional deficiencies due to the excessive consumption of meat and other human provided food.
Impossible to tell without photos, and even then still only guess work without expert opinion :)
We had one like that a couple of years ago, it hung around for a week or so.
Oh, dear, gphe. What a stark reminder of the need to replace artificial feeding of birds with indigenous vegetation.
Oooh. Yours looks much worse than ours - which I haven't seen since the photo.